The International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies is launching meningitis prevention activities
in 14 countries in Africa to get ready for what could be one of the worst
meningitis epidemics in a decade. The move came as a reaction to the warning
given by the World Health Organization on October 9.

The first indications of an epidemic
could appear as early as February-March 2008.

5 December 2007, Rome - Eleven
African countries have agreed to join forces to meet the challenge of education
for rural people. At a recent meeting in FAO headquarters in Rome they
also decided to identify synergies and establish international technical
cooperation aimed at enhancing education and training in rural areas.

The number of children starting primary
school has increased sharply since 2000, there are more girls in school
than ever before and spending on education and aid has risen. That's the
good news, according to the sixth edition of the Education
for All Global Monitoring Report,
released by UNESCO today.

Each week, the World Health Organization
Health Action in Crises in Geneva produces information highlights on critical
health-related activities in countries where there are humanitarian crises.
Drawing on the various WHO programmes, contributions cover activities from
field and country offices and the support provided by WHO regional offices
and headquarters. The mandate of the WHO departments specifically concerned
with Emergency and Humanitarian Action in Crises is to increase the effectiveness
of the WHO contribution to crisis preparedness and response, transition
and recovery.

Each week, the World Health Organization
Health Action in Crises in Geneva produces information highlights on critical
healthrelated activities in countries where there are humanitarian crises.
Drawing on the various WHO programmes, contributions cover activities from
field and country offices and the support provided by WHO regional offices
and headquarters. The mandate of the WHO departments specifically concerned
with Emergency and Humanitarian Action in Crises is to increase the effectiveness
of the WHO contribution to crisis preparedness and response, transition
and recovery.

"The number of people threatened by
natural disasters had increased by three times over the last 30 years and
the number of people affected by natural disasters doubled every 10 years.
Tens of millions of people had been affected this year by floods in countries
all over the world. The link between the increase in disasters and climate
change, which had been predicted by scientists, was unmistakable. Also,
more people were now living in exposed areas. Some of the biggest cities
in the world were built in disaster zones.

NAIROBI, Oct 25, 2007 (Xinhua via COMTEX)
-- Seven major international organizations including the International
Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) on Thursday announced
a multimillion-dollar partnership to address declining supplies of fresh
water and the lack of access to clean water by the world's poorest people.

Louis Michel, the European Commissioner
for Development and Humanitarian Aid and Josette Sheeran, Executive Director
of the World Food Programme (WFP) jointly warned that "climate change
is an increasing threat to development and humanitarian relief efforts"
during WFP's Executive Board meeting today.

Mr. Michel, who is in Rome to address
WFP's Executive Board, said: "The recent spate of weather-related
disasters across the globe sets the alarm bells ringing.

The manifold disadvantages and discrimination which continue to plague rural women in many parts of the world was an issue voiced by many speakers as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its discussion today on the advancement of women with close to 50 speakers taking the floor.

Floods across large swathes of east and
west Africa have washed away homes, crops and livestock leaving hundreds
of thousands in urgent need of food and shelter.

While the flood waters are receding in
every country aside from Uganda, many of those who have been affected need
longer term support as they have lost this year's harvests and face serious
food shortages.

Christian Aid will be supporting the
immediate relief efforts and longer term recovery work of its local partners
in the areas hit by the floods.